With the Linux 2.6.33 kernel having been released last week where the ATI kernel mode-setting (KMS) DRM code left the kernel's staging area, we knew a new ATI X.Org driver release was imminent. Over the night a new stable DDX driver update has been pushed out for xf86-video-ati as well as a new pre-release for the KMS-supportive 6.13 version that also carries other changes.

The xf86-video-ati 6.12.5 is the new stable update that carries bug-fixes and other work. Some of these changes include addressing a potential memory leak, fixing monitor issues, and updated quirks / IDs. The xf86-video-ati 6.12.5 release announcement with its change-log can be found on the mailing list.

More important than xf86-video-ati 6.12.5, however, is the new xf86-video-ati 6.13 pre-release (v6.12.91). Found in this pre-release and the soon-to-be-released xf86-video-ati 6.13.0 X.Org driver is kernel mode-setting support for all ATI Radeon graphics processors (going back to the ATI R100) when used in conjunction with the Linux 2.6.33 kernel or newer, DRI2 support for all GPU families, initial ATI Evergreen / Radeon HD 5000 series kernel mode-setting support when used with the Linux 2.6.34 kernel, user-space mode-setting support for the R600/700/800 GPUs, R600/700 2D EXA and X-Video acceleration support, UMS power management controls, textured X-Video controls, DisplayPort support, improved Zaphod mode support, and a CustomEDID option for injecting a monitor's EDID information from a file rather than probing the monitor itself.

The xf86-video-ati 6.12.91 release notes and change-log can be found on the X.Org mailing list. It's been quite a while since a new major release has took place for the xf86-video-ati DDX, but version 6.13.0 should change that soon.

Michael Larabel is the principal author of Phoronix.com and founded the site in 2004 with a focus on enriching the Linux hardware experience. Michael has written more than 10,000 articles covering the state of Linux hardware support, Linux performance, graphics drivers, and other topics. Michael is also the lead developer of the Phoronix Test Suite, Phoromatic, and OpenBenchmarking.org automated benchmarking software. He can be followed via Twitter or contacted via MichaelLarabel.com.

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